Pte Archie ‘Smiler’ Williams (Lilydale), 8^th Battalion: At Mena Camp. In a letter to a friend in Lilydale – ‘I suppose everyone has seen the letters in the papers written by Captain Bean. Well, though to a certain extent he was right, he exaggerated things very much, and was practically forced by the authorities here to contradict his statements in future letters. With about 40,000 or more men camped together, when they have a holiday and get a little drink into them they are apt to kick over the traces a bit. There are very few ‘wasters’ as they are now being weeded out and sent home in disgrace. I hope this will correct Captain Bean’s statement and Lilydale people will not be under the misconception that their representatives in Egypt are a disgrace to Lilydale and Australia. We expect to move at any time to anywhere, and we won’t be sorry, as we expected to be at the front long before this’.

Pte Ralph Goode (Lilydale), 2^nd Field Ambulance: In his diary – ‘Dropped anchor off Lemnos. Troopships arriving by dozens. We practice disembarking. A most wonderful sight we are in a natural harbour completely hidden from the outside sea, the entrance protected by mines etc. Every protection taken against hostile aircraft, no lights at night’.